ED grills Robert Vadra for over five hours, denies links with Sanjay Bhandari: Sources

By Sweta DuttaSweta Dutta, Mumbai Mirror | Feb 6, 2019, 10.45 PM IST

Businessman Robert Vadra leaves after appearing before ED in a money laundering case, in New Delh on Feb 6, 2019.

As Congress president Rahul Gandhi had laid out that the party would play on the ‘front foot’, newly inducted All India Congress Committee general secretary incharge of Uttar Pradesh East Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday stood by her embattled businessman husband Robert Vadra as he went in for a long-drawn interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case.

Priyanka alongwith Vadra set out from their 34, Lodhi Estate residence on Wednesday afternoon in their white SUV and after dropping him at the ED office she assumed charge at 24, Akbar Road. “Duniya dekh rahi hai kya ho raha hai. (Everyone can see what is happening) . He is my husband, he is my family, I support my family,” she told reporters as she jostled her way into a newly furnished office room right next to party chief Rahul’s.

The ED has been probing a money laundering case that relates to purchase of illegal foreign assets including a plush property on 12, Bryanson Square in London worth 1.9 million pounds. As per ED sources, apart from the Bryanson Square mansion, two villas and six luxury flats – all adding up to approximately 12 million pounds – allegedly owned by Vadra were bought between 2005 and 2010 with the help of his aides. Some of the transactions were done through Vadra’s aide and absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari and some others faciliated by Vadra’s employee Manoj Arora, who allegedly helped in arranging funds. ED officials maintained that Arora was aware of the undeclared foreign assets.

On Wednesday Vadra, after being briefed for hours by a battery of lawyers, appeared before the ED on his own, prepared for a long-drawn interrogation. Sources told Mirror that he was given a questionnaire comprising more than 40 questions that he was asked to respond to in writing. His lawyers were not allowed to remain by his side during the interrogation which was carried out by three Deputy Director level officers and was later joined by a Joint Director level officer. Sources said throughout the interrogation, Vadra denied any association with the named properties and also links with Sanjay Bhandari.

Robert Vadra left the ED office after over five and a half hours of interrogation around 9.40pm. Suman Khaitan, Vadra’s lawyer, told reporters, “He came for the interrogation on his own and will join the investigation whenever required. He answered all the questions put to him and has been cooperating with the investigators.”

A Delhi court last week granted interim bail to Robert Vadra till February 16 and asked him to join the probe by appearing in person on February 6 in this case.

The BJP stepped up attack on Congress over the Gandhi family son-in-law’s alleged involvement in the money laundering case. “Sanjay Bhandari, a close aide of Robert Vadra, bought this posh property in London worth 1.9 million pounds as a kickbak from a petroleum deal. Vadra benefited from a petroleum deal as well as a defence deal which took place between 2008-09. It has been found by the ED that he has stacked eight-nine properties in London…. The 2019 Lok Sabha elections will be a fight between the gang of corrupt versus the transparency of Narendra Modi government,” alleged BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.

The Congress party that has so far on most occasions distanced itself from Vadra’s land deals or money laundering allegations, openly backed him and called the ED summons political vendetta. As Priyanka dropped her husband for the interrogation sending a signal not only to the Congress rank and file that she will stand by him but also to the BJP that she would not be on the back foot in defending her husband.